/ IMPORTANT NOTICE! PLEASE READ! /
So, you've all probably seen the current 'adfestation' like I have, and while several other chapters I've written for other stories have a detailing (and I've got a bit on my personal page about it), I'd like to take some time to address it here. For those who've been lucky to avoid it so far, during the last week of April, FF dot net has started inserting their typical ads into stories, sandwiching them haphazardly in between paragraphs and generally ruining the reading experience of everyone who is unfortunate enough to have to deal with them. Needless to say, this has me significantly miffed and I decided that while I would not stop writing, I would stop posting for the time being and watch the situation unfold. Thus far, it has been disappointing. There has been no response to the situation at all for nearly three weeks as of this writing (It will probably have been WAY longer by the time this comes out) and I've been informed that the sibling site to this one, FictionPress, has also been suffering an adfestation of its own, leading me to believe that this was a deliberate choice on the part of FictionPress; one that was not communicated to anyone and has gone completely unacknowledged by the people at FictionPress.
So, seeing as this is the game that FictionPress has seemingly decided to play, I've thought of three options for myself: One, I give up and just resign myself to the fact that nothing will change and I'm not leaving either way, since the ads can be blocked, they don't show up on android devices apparently, and they don't happen on the app. Two, I don't do anything and wait until the webmasters have stopped the adfestation, regardless of how it started, and I start publishing normally again. Three, I move to a different archive and start uploading the stories I intend to take with me to that other archive one chapter at a time for the foreseeable future, and this account can be considered to be on an indefinite hiatus. In the event that I choose option three, I will post a list of all the stories I intend to carry over to the next archive, upload a handful of chapters here that I finished in between the transition from one site to another, and then… we'll see. If the webmasters here get their act together, then you'll see me return. If not, then… well, sorry. I can't say I'll have regretted the choice.
Regardless of what happens, I will be publishing this chapter since it's an important one (see normal notes after digressive rant) and I don't want to have such an important chapter not reach where my readership is.
Again, this may wind up being resolved by the time this chapter comes out, and I'll be sure to call out if it has happened, but I also think it's important that people remember that this happened, especially since it has happened before, in March 2019, in which the PR people said it was the fault of a third party ad system. I want to believe that this is what has happened again, but since they have not publicly responded in over two weeks to this problem (and that's two weeks since the earliest recorded sighting of the ads, it could have been around much longer), I'm not entirely convinced that this was an accident. Especially since all the ad placements theoretically mean more ad revenue for them, and more ads to clear means more ad clicks, means more money for them.
It's suspicious, is all I'm saying, and I don't like it done at the expense of the work I post on this site.
Post post adfestation edit: So, they cleared it up! Great! No more ads being sandwiched in between paragraphs! THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I will not be forgetting this, and I strongly encourage you all to not forget it either, especially since this has happened before and I believe will happen again. Remember where you heard it first.
Alright, I've gone on long enough. We now return to your scheduled chapter.
Hello Everyone, and welcome to chapter 28 of Before: Kingdom Hearts!
Creativity: It's been a while since we sat down to this! Also, how many people do you think are going to read that notice?
Author: I hope people will read it. It's labelled "IMPORTANT NOTICE! PLEASE READ!" so I imagine that people will at least glance at it.
Anyway, we don't actually have a lot to talk about in the opening notes today, so we're just going to jump straight into the review responses:
Is what I would be saying if we had any reviews for chapter 27! Oh well, nothing to be done about that.
Now then, last chapter we had the group finally finish clearing the air and figuring out where they go from where they are, literally and figuratively.
Creativity: And where are we gonna go with this?
Author: Somewhere. For now, we're going to have ourselves a Sora chapter. Nice, relaxing and I get to spend time fleshing out the in-universe history more.
So, let's not spend any more time waiting! Here's the Discord password: 5RRcGwh
Creativity: And with that out of the way, it's time for us to proudly present chapter 28 of Before: Kingdom Hearts!
It had been quite some time since Sora and Archive had departed from the last Obelisk and made their way back through the Field of the Fallen and beginning their trek towards the next one, and Sora had been unusually quiet during that time. Well, Sora thought it had been a while. In this strange world, it was impossible to keep track of time. It certainly felt like it had been quite some time, but he was making it a point to not make assumptions about time in this world. The only reliable clock here was Archive, though he wasn't sure his bandaged bodyguard would appreciate being used as a timepiece.
Still, the time was useful as it gave Sora plenty of time to think, especially since it also gave him a break from his seemingly eternal quest to find new things to talk about with Archive, who also seemed to be appreciating the silence. Sora hadn't taken as much time to think about everything that Archive had told him about this world, the Dark Realm, the history of the worlds and this World's place in it all, and Archive's place in it by extension. And by Kingdom Hearts, did Sora have a lot to chew on at this point. Between what Archive had told Sora about this world and how the many connections it had to the past, to lost civilizations and cultures, the history of the Keyblade, the Dark Realm in general and who knows how else, Sora was really beginning to miss having Jiminy around to write all of this down for him to read later. Not that he had gone back to read Jiminy's journals before, but he did always have that option. Now that Sora thought about it, all of his adventures were rather strange in more than a few ways but having gone through them himself, he had never noticed this before. It wasn't until he'd tried to explain it all to Archive that he realized how insane all of this sounded when spoken aloud.
Still, as he thought about it more, he was seeing more connections between the tidbits of information that Archive had given him so far, as well as the bits and pieces that he'd accumulated himself from this strange world. The first thing Sora had thought about was the big one: the Cruciatus, or Agony as they were more commonly called, apparently. Having thought back on his journey through this world, he remembered three carvings that had been in the center of the massive labyrinth that he'd been challenged in and received the four powers that he had criminally underused so far on this journey, save for the tracking power. The carvings he'd seen had depicted three entities; One of a creature with a face of rage whose wrathful presence had burned those in its presence, one of e being depicted to be in perpetual despair and drowned those around it with its sorrow, and an entity that was twisted and suffering that inflicted greater pain on those around it. It was incredibly obvious that the last of those depictions was a Cruciatus. Perhaps it was even the Cruciatus; the greatest and most powerful of all, maybe even the source of them all. In summation, something that Sora dearly hoped that he would never, ever have to come face to face with, though that seemed unlikely. He was a keyblade wielder after all, and if these things were a threat to the Worlds at large, something that Archive had explicitly confirmed more than once, then he would be on the front lines to stand against them.
However, that wasn't the only connection that Sora had found between the Cruciatus and this place, though this next one was only a guess on his part. Still, he had an easy way to confirm his suspicions, assuming that Archive didn't clam up when he asked. He'd been pretty accommodating regarding information so far, all things considered. So long as Sora didn't ask a question that hit too close to home, he figured that he'd be fine.
"So, I've been thinking a lot about some of the stuff you've told me; about these Agony monsters and the Dark Realm, and I think I figured something out." Sora began, waiting for Archive to respond.
"Is that so?" Archive replied, not so much as batting a purple eye as he kept striding onward.
"Well, you mentioned that the Shades lived in the Dark Realm before the Heartless, and that the Agony and the Heartless have been fighting each other since before the Keyblade War." Sora continued before pausing, waiting to see Archive's response.
"I did tell you that." Archive agreed simply, sparing a brief glance towards Sora.
"So, I started thinking about where the Shades went. I mean, those two were a lot stronger than a bunch of the Heartless I've fought before. If they're so powerful, how'd the rest of them get wiped out?" Sora continued before Archive interrupted him.
"These Shades were among the upper echelon of their kind and are not a perfect reflection of their species. While they are far more intelligent than the Heartless, that isn't to say they were all stronger than them." Archive reminded Sora, who nodded.
"Well, yeah, but I've seen the power that you and the Shades use. Even if it is Darkness, it's not the same Darkness as the Heartless. It feels more… neutral, older and maybe more powerful." Sora countered before he waited for Archive to respond. When he didn't, Sora took the opportunity to press onward.
"Anyway, I started thinking about how they would have disappeared and the Heartless moved in. I mean, you mentioned the Dark Realm changing and that they wouldn't be able to live in it the way it is now, but you never really explained what that change was… It was the Agony, wasn't it. It appeared and started wiping them out." Sora guessed. Archive was silent for a few moments and Sora started to worry that he'd perhaps finally found that magic question that would see Archive clam up. However, this didn't seem to be the case as Archive drew in a breath and exhaled before beginning to speak.
"I often lament what has become of the Realm of Darkness. It used to be just as wondrous and beautiful as the Realm of Light where you reside; home to life as diverse as what you find in the worlds of light, home to its own cultures and beauty, only for it all to be dashed by the Cruciatus." Archive muttered as his hands clenched into fists.
"They fell into the Dark Realm and spread like a plague, corrupting the very ground they tread on and decimating every true denizen of the Realm they came across. As time wore on, their infection forced the survivors to adapt and become something else… Something hardier, more vicious and driven by territorial instinct. All the beauty was lost, the nurturing side of the shadows cast aside for survival. If the Dark Realm is a living thing, then it is a wounded one. The Cruciatus are an infection and the Heartless are the antibodies that fight against it and anything else that could harm their home. And all the while, I am trapped here, unable to do anything during all this, save for offering shelter to those caught in the middle of this whole mess." Archive continued, now in what Sora realized was a rant. Now that Archive was actually getting this stuff out there, Sora felt a surge of sympathy for Archive. He hadn't thought about it that much, what with his focus being on unlocking all the Obelisks and not getting killed, but now that he was thinking about it, it was beginning to truly strike him just how much Archive must hate his lot in life. He was trapped in a world that was occupied seemingly by only himself and perhaps the last two remnants of a dead culture, along with that strange wolf creature that occasionally passed through. He was only able to glean snippets of the vast cosmos beyond this world and was powerless to affect any change in them, to aid the Heartless in beating back a world-consuming threat (Words that tasted really strange on Sora's tongue) and the only people that ever arrived on this world were mere moments from death, having been brought here so that they could pass on in peace. When you really sat back and looked at it, Archive's lot in life kinda sucked.
"So… If we were to stop the Cruciatus; go to the Dark Realm and completely wipe them out, what would happen to the Dark Realm? What would happen to the Heartless?" Sora asked hesitantly. Archive huffed as he stared at the ground.
"I couldn't say. Things have been this way for a very long time. It's entirely possible that the damage may simply be done. Even if we were to scour the Dark Realm of all Cruciatus, it will take hundreds, perhaps thousands of years for honest recovery to take shape. However, it would likely stem the tide of Heartless invading the Realm of Light for a time, but it also may turn the Realm of Light into the next target, with the old one being gone. I can't say." Archive explained, sounding pretty tired. Sora pondered this for a bit before he had an idea, dangerous as that could be.
"Well… You and the Shades can talk to Heartless, right? And once all the Obelisks are unlocked, you can leave this world, right? Well, if you were free and the Cruciatus were all destroyed, you could tell the Heartless to just leave us alone, couldn't you?" Sora suggested. Archive huffed.
"Focus on the present, Sora. Many shackles yet remain and you still have a quest ahead of you. Even when that quest is completed, you'll have a long journey before you before one could even think of destroying the Cruciatus once and for all." Archive lectured Sora as they kept going. Sora frowned at the reminder, though he did appreciate it. Archive was right, after all. Sora already had Xehanort and his new Organization to deal with; a task that was going to be the furthest thing from 'easy' or 'quick', especially since Sora knew that he'd have to rebuild himself from the ground up along the way.
"I know, but if I can stop the Heartless from invading the Realm of Light, I can't exactly pass up an opportunity like that. I mean, every journey I've gone on has been because of Xehanort and the Heartless, so if I can do anything to stop that then I think I should. I mean, that's the whole point of being a Keyblade Wielder, right? To keep the Worlds safe?" Sora questioned. Archive spared a glance sideways at Sora before he turned his gaze back to the path ahead.
"Is that really the point of being a Keyblade Wielder? To protect the Worlds and keep the light safe?" Archive asked aloud. Sora looked at him funnily.
"Um… Yeah, that's what I've been doing ever since I got the keyblade." Sora replied, only for Archive to sigh.
"You misunderstand me, Sora. Indeed, you have done many a great service to the Worlds, and even at personal sacrifice to do so. However, it is extremely foolish to ignore the history of the keyblade, and while there are many who would refrain from calling you bright, you are certainly no fool." Archive replied, ignoring Sora's indignant spluttering as he pressed onward.
"You've undoubtedly heard an abbreviation of the keyblade's history, but it hardly does justice to the tragedy and devastation that the rise of the Keyblade wrought. The first keyblades, fashioned in the image of the One True Key, were meant to unlock Kingdom Hearts under the assumption that it would lead to a paradise of light. However, it quickly became obvious that the inferior copies did not possess something that the One True Key had that was needed to unlock that door. It was after this that new keys began to appear naturally, perhaps in response to this new power that had been unleashed upon the World." Archive began to explain before they turned a corner and began to walk down the bottom of a large black stone crevice.
"However, the people's lust for the light was not abated, and so many keyblade wielders began to use their keyblades to collect light and horde it for themselves, like a dragon to a horde of gold. Some keyblade wielders took notice of this quest and took it up themselves in an attempt to prevent the first faction from hording all the light for themselves, becoming the very thing they worked against in the process. The tribalism continued and soon everyone was stockpiling light to prevent anyone else from having it, and in the absence of the light, something must fill the void… or nothing…" Archive continued. Sora was staring at the ground now, a small knot of shame having formed in his stomach and growing larger as Archive continued his little history lesson. It wasn't personal shame that Sora felt, though. It was shame for history of the legacy he and his friends had been entrusted with.
"Eventually the fear, the greed, the mistrust and the anger built to boiling point and spilled over into outright war, and that war rolled over the World and literally carved it to pieces. The worlds were eventually rebuilt and what few keyblade wielders survived the conflict vowed to do better. And perhaps in general they have done, but that wasn't exactly a high bar to clear. There was still more infighting; more worlds lost to their negligence and ego. And now, here we all are; with so-called Keyblade Master scheming to recreate the Keyblade War, reforge the One True Key, and then use it to unlock Kingdom Hearts. As it was, so it is, such as it will ever be." Archive concluded in a melancholic and defeated tone. However, Sora took a modicum of offence regarding that last statement.
"Hey, I'm not going to make the mistakes as Xehanort!" Sora protested, only for Archive to shake his head.
"But that doesn't mean you can't eventually find yourself going down an ill-advised path. Xehanort arrived on his path because he sought to control what may yet be by controlling the darkness, only to fail. It's a mistake every being in the world will make eventually; to control what will or won't be, though whether or not they will learn from that mistake is completely variable. However, that mistake always has consequences. Always." Archive lamented. Sora glanced at Archive as he thought about it more, then realized something.
"Did you make that mistake?" Sora asked after a long silence. Archive just sighed and looked down.
"I've never had the opportunity to attempt to control the trajectory of fate, but I have seen the consequences of such an act endless times. And despite all that, I strongly suspect that if given the opportunity, I would make that mistake, and without hesitation." Archive confessed. Sora looked down as they kept on their way, mulling Archive's words over. There was no denying that there was truth in what Archive was saying. He'd seen more than his fair share of people brought low by their desire to control what wouldn't be. Heck, he'd even had a direct hand in the downfalls of a good number of those people. Still, he didn't believe that those were evidence that this was all that could happen in the end. After all, they'd been stopped, hadn't they?
"But, things have gotten better, right? We've all gotten better. I know that much. Besides, if people do make that mistake, then other people can help to fix things. I mean, that's what I've been doing ever since Kingdom Key chose me." Sora pointed out. Archive sighed.
"But what happens when you aren't here anymore, Sora? Not everyone is as capable of doing the right thing like you are. Even when setting out with the best of intentions, a person can still bring the worlds to the brink of destruction." Archive bemoaned. Sora shrugged.
"Well, I guess we just gotta have faith that people can save the Worlds if that does happen." Sora decided. Archive looked up a bit.
"Faith… I'm not sure how much of that I have left." Archive murmured. Sora smiled.
"Aww, I don't believe that. You've got faith in me to unlock all those Obelisks, right?" Sora pointed out as he put his hands behind his head and grinned. Archive made a small noise of amusement as he closed his eyes.
"I suppose I do… Heh… I guess, if I need to place my faith in the hands of one person, I can't imagine anyone I could choose other than you, Sora." Archive decided. Sora grinned a little wider.
"I think you can do better than that! If you really believe it, I betcha that the people out there will surprise you." Sora stated confidently. Archive didn't seem convinced, and Sora had to agree that, based on what history Archive had shared, that history had shown a destructive pattern, but still Sora still had more than enough hope for the worlds. After all, he'd been to so many of them and met the many wonderful people who lived in them. Most of all though, he'd seen the worlds have their share of happy endings. Even if they were ultimately smaller than the events that Archive had supposedly seen play out, they were still there, and they still mattered. Hopefully once Archive was no longer trapped in this world, he'd be able to experience some of those happy endings for himself.
Suddenly, Sora had a new resolve to complete his task in this shadowy world; He had to see to it that Archive got the freedom to experience the worlds instead of just watching them from afar. To experience a happy ending for himself.
"Yeah… That's where my heart's gonna lead…" Sora murmured. Archive glanced at him curiously.
"Something to say, Sora?" Archive inquired. Sora just smiled again as he put his hands behind his head.
"Oh, it's nothing." Sora replied. Archive just let out a chuckle as he closed his eyes and shook his head.
"You are many things, Sora. A good liar is not one of them." Archive stated, and although Sora couldn't see it, he knew that Archive was smiling under all those bandages.
"So, how far away is the next Obelisk?" Sora inquired as they continued through the crevice.
"Not long now." Archive replied as they turned another corner and found themselves at their destination. Just ahead of them was situated the Obelisk they'd been working their way towards. As they approached it, Sora summoned Kingdom Key and held it out in front of him. However, before he unlocked it he needed to ask a question.
"Hey, Archive." Sora began. His dark bodyguard turned to look at him.
"Hm?" Archive responded, indicating that Sora could continue.
"When all of the Obelisks are unlocked, you'll be able to leave this world, right?" Sora asked. Archive glanced at Sora and paused before answering.
"When the Obelisks are unlocked, then this world will be free, as will I." Archive answered. Sora was a bit confused by the wording, but he didn't make mention of it. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the keyhole that had appeared on the Obelisk and sent forth the familiar blue beam from Kingdom Key. Shortly afterwards, Sora felt the familiar dizziness take hold as he began to pass out. Sora's last thoughts before he drifted off were curiosity about what he was going to be shown by this particular Obelisk, as well as what he was supposed to learn from them all.
And that's where we'll end it for today! I had fun writing Archive this chapter.
Creativity: You always have fun writing Archive.
Author: I mean, yeah, but I really got to dig into what it's like for him to live in this world, seeing history play out over and over again and how it's worn him down after so long. I mean, he's been there for a very long time after all. He's been there since before the Keyblade was even a thing!
So, as you all have hopefully read from my IMPORTANT NOTICE at the beginning, I'm currently waiting for news regarding the adfestation from FictionPress's own mouth, which has been clamped shut ever since this fracas blew up. Don't think that's a coincidence. I'm hoping that it'll all blow over and we'll be able to get back to normal, but regardless of whether it does or not, make no mistake, I will not forget that this happened. I will not forget, I will make sure that this event is branded into the minds of everyone I can inform, and I will certainly be calling FictionPress out on this if it happens again next spring.
Creativity: Wow… And with that out of the way, I think it's time to end the chapter!
Author: Yeah, you're right.
Thank you all for reading, please review, hope to see you on Discord and we'll see you next time!